Federal, state, and local officials are charged with protecting the public. In performing their duties, law enforcement officials in particular face dangerous situations daily. For example, traffic stops are dangerous because a police officer or other law enforcement official may be unable to determine the intentions or disposition of the driver or passengers of a stopped vehicle without actually approaching the vehicle.
Personal identification documents such as drivers' licenses, insurance cards, passports, and other similar documentation may help identify information about the driver. However, in order to obtain some of this information, the officer may be required to approach the vehicle which is the most dangerous part of a traffic stop. These different forms of identification have not been updated as electronic mediums and computing has become more commonplace and secure. As a result, personal contact is almost always required to retrieve identification information for verification purposes. Despite some improvements in technology, law enforcement officials and others that must verify personal identification still face dangerous situations daily.